Windows MSI

[HaroonSaid]

Is there a windows msi installer release for the collector?

[jpkrohling]

We used to, but not anymore since we moved to releasing with goreleaser on the open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-releases repostiory. We don't seem to have a volunteer to work on that.

[TylerHelmuth]

@jpkrohling do we want to add an MSI back? Should we open an issue for it?

[jpkrohling]

I believe there might be an issue with this already, just not sure where. But yes, we want this back. The problem from what I remember is that it requires a cert to sign the binary and we don't have it.

[mx-psi]

Should we transfer this to the releases repository?

[jpkrohling]

Done

[dodegaard]

@jpkrohling I may be willing to research and work on this. What is the build system used to create the releases? GitHub Actions seems to have a ton of steps defined.

[jpkrohling]

We use goreleaser for automating our build. Look at .goreleaser.yaml at the root of this repository, and goreleaser.io for more information about the tool itself.

Our .goreleaser.yaml is auto-generated, but I'd recommend playing directly with that file at first, and then bringing the changes back to the Go files that generate it (cmd/goreleaser/internal/configure.go)

[smithclay]

Hey, just one quick note/good news: looks like goreleaser pro (version this repo uses) supports creating MSIs:

https://goreleaser.com/customization/msi/

[jpkrohling]

Creating it is the easy part, maintaining is something more: it requires people who'd be willing to take care of bug reports. Ideally, that would be a maintainer, but if someone active enough volunteers to take care of this build, I think we can give it a try.

[mx-psi]

Would be great to have someone with Windows expertise listed on here https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/blob/main/docs/platform-support.md#tier-2--secondary-support

[pjanotti]

@mx-psi I volunteer myself for tier 2 support for Windows/amd64

[mx-psi]

Awesome! I am in favor of proceeding with this then :) cc @open-telemetry/collector-contrib-approvers

[TylerHelmuth]

Let's start by updating https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-releases/tree/main/distributions#criteria-for-supported-distributions

[andrzej-stencel]

Let's start by updating https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-releases/tree/main/distributions#criteria-for-supported-distributions

What exactly should be updated there @TylerHelmuth? Do you mean to add the requirement to build Windows MSI package to point 7.?

Btw. to be honest I'm surprised that the requirement for brew packages is there - I don't think we publish brew packages for Otelcol core or contrib at all? Here's a related issue I found:

• https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/issues/7891.

[TylerHelmuth]

@astencel-sumo ya lets update 7 to say Windows MSIs are allowed.

I forget the origin of that brew comment, but I believe it was calling out brew specifically as something that a distribution can support if it wants to. I know there has been work to get a brew formula and there was some roadblocks but it is still desired.

[andrzej-stencel]

lets update 7 to say Windows MSIs are allowed.

You're saying "allowed" but point 7 uses the word "must":

Must include the following assets (...) [unless] clearly stated which assets are skipped and why

I'll add Windows MSI to that list for now, we can separately consider if we should rephrase this point to make it less demanding. We currently don't provide brew or MSI for any distro.

EDIT: Oh I just re-read and found that phrase "Additional assets may be included", hm I'm not sure how this changes the meaning of this whole point 7 :thinking:

[TylerHelmuth]

Ya maybe this doesn't need updated because of that line, but I think if we're gonna support Windows, providing an MSI as an expectation (unless otherwise specified) makes sense.

[andrzej-stencel]

• https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-releases/pull/501